Event benefiting college’s culinary arts program sets record as it spurs the rodeo season.
By Kyle R. Cotton
kcotton11@student.alamo.edu
For 38 years the Cowboy Breakfast has been the unofficial kickoff of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and this year, the breakfast set a record for most tacos served.
“Nothing is official yet since they have to go through and catalog all the tortillas, bags and wrappers, but we know that we set it since there hadn’t been a previously established record,” St. Philip’s College Chef- Instructor Frank Salina said.
Salina said 50 students volunteered starting at 2 a.m. Jan. 29 for the breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed their time.
“I had about a dozen students who didn’t want to leave, so after we were done cooking, we just hung around till 9 a.m.”
The students served a variety of tacos, including bacon, chorizo, sausage, beef and potato and egg tacos.
Chef Wil Thorton said students in the college’s culinary arts program have been volunteering for the last 22 years.
“This event is really all about the students,” Thorton said. “Every year, they come out to volunteer and have a good time.”
Proceeds from the Cowboy Breakfast benefit St. Philip’s culinary arts. Last year, the breakfast generated $12,000 for the program.
Salina expects to see the donations this year total between $5,000 and $12,000.
“It’s a lot of fun; it’s a bunch of cowboys getting together and cooking for the community,” said Bill Wiseman, Cowboy Breakfast volunteer of 30 years.
“It’s completely changed over the years, and the introduction of the chef school has made it all the better,” he said.
The 66th annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo runs through Feb. 27 at AT&T Center.